Does Rivers have what it takes to take the Chargers to SB?

It's a question I've always wondered, and for the early years of his career I thought it was stupid to question his ability to lead this team. But the last two seasons has made me wonder if is Rodgers, Brady, Manning, Brees type of QB. I just want to hear other charger fans thoughts on this? I mean does it really matter or is it just coincidence of playing your best with a good team at the right time? I mean with the likes of Flacco and Eli winning it makes me wonder if there's something his missing that the other QB's have.

It's a question I've always wondered, and for the early years of his career I thought it was stupid to question his ability to lead this team. But the last two seasons has made me wonder if is Rodgers, Brady, Manning, Brees type of QB. I just want to hear other charger fans thoughts on this? I mean does it really matter or is it just coincidence of playing your best with a good team at the right time? I mean with the likes of Flacco and Eli winning it makes me wonder if there's something his missing that the other QB's have.

Anyway what's your opinion on the matter?

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Part of it... go and look at Joe Flacco's last season. Even through the midway point of that season he was still being labeled "Captain Checkdown" (a label I've heard slapped on Rivers or as the "explanation" from some critics to tear down Rivers' OPOY-caliber season in '10) and a product of the pieces around him and in some respects that was a deserving title. Flacco felt shoehorned into Cam's offense which had become predictable in its refusal to capitalize on its best assets. Then John Harbaugh had an epiphany (or realization of desperation) and cut ties with Cam to allow for the promotion of Jim Caldwell... and suddenly "Bert" Flacco is a completely different quarterback, appearing more decisive, more dangerous, and going on to have the statistically best playoff run by a quarterback in league history (combo of QB rating, TD's, and minimized INT's).

Now obviously our team's to-do-list in terms of fixes is greater than just a change in offensive coaching personnel, but that was part of it too. Rivers, in spite of his throwing-motion, still throws a pretty rainbow of a deep ball, however he's at his best when he has more than just "deep route 1 or deep route 2" to pick from in terms of his reads. Choosing which read is the best has been among one of his best qualities as a QB throughout his career (often times the reason why he was opting for those checkdowns to Sproles was because he recognized that an uncovered Sproles, or at least one with plenty of area to work with, was the better option over a marked Floyd or double-teamed Gates).

Furthermore, despite his shot put motion, Rivers' release is actually very good/quick - though you really can't take advantage of that when the vast majority of the routes called are on long developing plays. Both McCoy's and Whisenhunt's schemes have shown to implement more short and medium routes that work on getting the ball in the hands of the receivers and letting them do YAC damage at the second and third levels. I wouldn't call either a West Coast offense, but there are signature traces of Bill Walsh in both just like there is in the current Pats and Giants as well as the '98-'99 Vikings and early 90's Bills' "K-Gun" offenses.

Did Grossman and Dilfer have what it took to take their teams to a super bowl?

Not to dwell on the past but If AJ had hired someone other than who he did, it's easy to believe we may have already gone and won. When Norv took over that team was Loaded!!!! year after year they slowly declined.

As long as Rivers has the tools around him O line and pass catchers I'd say he'll be alright.

The short answer is yes...a lot of good reasons above and the list of so-so quarterbacks who own SB rings is pretty long.
The one cloud of doubt I have, and it's could very well be a result of the system and team he's been tied to, is that I don't really associate PR with winning important games against top notch defenses. If this new regime improves the offense like they seem to be trying to, it will be up to Rivers to cast aside that doubt.

LBC get's to the "furthermore" point here:
Furthermore, despite his shot put motion, Rivers' release is actually very good/quick - though you really can't take advantage of that when the vast majority of the routes called are on long developing plays. Both McCoy's and Whisenhunt's schemes have shown to implement more short and medium routes that work on getting the ball in the hands of the receivers and letting them do YAC damage at the second and third levels. I wouldn't call either a West Coast offense, but there are signature traces of Bill Walsh in both just like there is in the current Pats and Giants as well as the '98-'99 Vikings and early 90's Bills' "K-Gun" offenses.

LBC get's to the "furthermore" point here:
Furthermore, despite his shot put motion, Rivers' release is actually very good/quick - though you really can't take advantage of that when the vast majority of the routes called are on long developing plays. Both McCoy's and Whisenhunt's schemes have shown to implement more short and medium routes that work on getting the ball in the hands of the receivers and letting them do YAC damage at the second and third levels. I wouldn't call either a West Coast offense, but there are signature traces of Bill Walsh in both just like there is in the current Pats and Giants as well as the '98-'99 Vikings and early 90's Bills' "K-Gun" offenses.

McCoy and Whizzy will do PR wonders this year. Trust in Tom.

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Are you saying Norv Turner wasn't a brilliant OC? SHOCKING!

Lets just say it, firing turkey neck was a step in the right direction to fixing Rivers, if you can even call it fixing. I would say it was more Norv hanging him out to dry by refusing to change the scheme in the face of massive O-line injuries......oh, until we were completely desperate at 2-5 of course.

Lets just say it, firing turkey neck was a step in the right direction to fixing Rivers, if you can even call it fixing. I would say it was more Norv hanging him out to dry by refusing to change the scheme in the face of massive O-line injuries......oh, until we were completely desperate at 2-5 of course.

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Eh... Rivers is still on the hook for throw into double-coverage and, at least until later on in last season, being hesitant to just throw it out of bounds and live to fight another day. Some of the interceptions are on receivers (*cough* Meachem *cough*) not securing the ball when making a catches in traffic. But Phil's had his fair share of "WTF was he thinking" INT's too that either sailed on him or looked more like they were intended for the DB. Should the front office and coaching staff have done a better job to protect him from the pass-rush? Yes, I don't think anyone's disputing that. But it's on Rivers to ratchet his competitive streak down a bit and not force downfield throws off his back foot that he knows full well (and should have known for quite some time being a coach's son) will have a high likelihood of sailing on him and being inaccurate.

Eh... Rivers is still on the hook for throw into double-coverage and, at least until later on in last season, being hesitant to just throw it out of bounds and live to fight another day. Some of the interceptions are on receivers (*cough* Meachem *cough*) not securing the ball when making a catches in traffic. But Phil's had his fair share of "WTF was he thinking" INT's too that either sailed on him or looked more like they were intended for the DB. Should the front office and coaching staff have done a better job to protect him from the pass-rush? Yes, I don't think anyone's disputing that. But it's on Rivers to ratchet his competitive streak down a bit and not force downfield throws off his back foot that he knows full well (and should have known for quite some time being a coach's son) will have a high likelihood of sailing on him and being inaccurate.

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What you're saying in a round about way is you agree with me.

My point is Rivers' mistakes don't happen as often when he's not constantly worried he's going to get blasted and possibly fumble the ball at any second. Sure he makes his own mistakes, every QB does, but our entire scheme should have altered to make up for the presence of Mike Harris, and it did not change one lick until December.

Give him a LT, call some quicker passes, and I guarantee you see a better Rivers in '13.

Look at it this way, Peyton won his SB after 8 years in the league of being known as a choker. Elway didn't win until his 15th year in the league, although he had gone to a couple.

Rivers is going into his 9th year and has had a terrible O-Line the last 2 years, something Manning and Elways never really had to deal with. Can he win a SB? Yes. Will he? Depends on the team around him